Kingdom of Hearts
Disclaimer: I do not own Twelve Kingdoms, but I do own my characters.
Chapter 2
The court room of the Kimpa Palace was lighted with many white candles. The melted wax trickled down the cylindrical body and hardened at the bottom, forming flower shaped solids on the candle holders. Despite the disarray of the place, most of the Kei ministers gathered before the throne. Many of them wore satisfied looks on their faces, but there were also some who looked grim. The creaking of the huge wooden doors startled them and everyone turned to see who has arrived. When everybody saw that it was just the Minister of Justice, they returned to murmuring among themselves. The small built man smirked at their ignorance. He gestured with his index finger for the people behind him to enter. Troops armed with weapons poured into the hall and had everyone surrounded within seconds. Many were caught off guard and they huddled in the middle like a sheep being encircled by a pack of wolves. Some put up resistance and were knocked out. The small proud man swaggered up to the group of nobles, his grin never wavering.
"Juoyu! What is the meaning of this?" A fellow minister bellowed. Several brave ones also nodded in disparagement.
Juoyu stroked his long grey beard and his beady eyes scrunched into very thin lines, "As you can see," a croaky voice started, "I am taking over this palace. Her majesty has left with Saiho and I am afraid this country cannot do without a temporary ruler, and I believe I am the most suitable candidate for the job."
"You planned this didn't you!" The same minister waved his finger accusingly at the arrogant old man.
Juoyu's visage tightened and roared, "This is not the way to show your respect to your superior, Honjyu!"
A soldier nearest to Honjyu strike at his neck and the burly immortal collapsed to the filthy carpet. The rest of the ministers gasped and immediately cowered before their new despicable ruler.
Juoyu let out a wicked laugh which pierced through the night, and the small creature hiding outside one of the windows shuddered.
Enki entered his master's study without knocking and plopped down on a chair noisily. Shoryuu looked up from a document and set his brush down knowingly. The tall emperor pushed back his chair and made his way to another chair beside his kirin. The blonde child scratched his hair and his lips curved into a disgruntled shape.
"They are so screwed, "Enki stated softly, "One of her ministers had been planning a rebellion and it seems that Youko and Keiki are gone."
The older looking man sat down and propped one of his leg onto the other. He placed both hands behind his head and stared at the skillfully engraved wooden ceiling, immersed in thoughts.
The holy creature turned to face the King of En, waiting for any reaction that might come from him and got annoyed when his master continued to disregard his presence, and started poking hard at the indolent emperor.
Shoryuu twitched and swat the small hand away, "I'm thinking."
"Well, tell me what you plan to do then!" Enki hissed, leaning forward.
The raven haired emperor sighed and sat up straight, "Basically, there is nothing we can do if Youko remains in her country. This matter is not for us to worry I'm afraid."
Enki looked at Shoryuu incredulously and sputtered, "Ther…there must be something we can do?"
En-o shook his head, "Continue to gather information though, it might be of some help in time to come."
Youko followed her possessed friend who was currently leading them towards a clearing in the middle of an unknown forest. The young empress, however, was more worried of her stick-in-the-mud kirin than of herself. The scarlet haired teen smiled wryly at the thought of Keiki. He has always been so rigid and serious, and it was as easy as cracking a groundnut when it came to communicating with him. The Hinman within the empress interrupted her thoughts when Suzu stopped walking and was only ten feet away.
Kei-o tried to refrain her teeth from chattering, but the cold that had already seeped into her drenched clothing made it difficult. Her sodden hair was plastered to her equally wet face, and her toes were freezing beyond numbness inside her soggy shoes. The wet grass came to their knees and the insects were flying around them. The condition became so unbearable that Youko spoke.
"Well?" Kei-o demanded, closing her fingers on the handle of the Suiguu.
"Getting impatient already? I thought you like the rain." the puppeteer spoke in an equally chilling voice but still the girl did not turn.
Youko growled, "Cut to the chase, who are you and what do you want?"
Suzu's right arm was raised and the empress of Kei would see the unwillingness behind it. Her four fingers were made to bend with only the index finger pointing towards the gloomy sky. "Heaven," the voice started, "has chosen this day for my victory. AND YOU!" the voice shouted above the noise of rain, and suddenly Suzu was whirled around to face the empress, her finger pointing at Youko this time. The younger girl's face was contorted with rage but her glistening orbs showed otherwise.
"SHALL DIE UNDER MY HANDS TODAY!" the screeching voice melted into the typical hyena laughter and scared away the birds which were taking shelter within the thick forage.
This person is mad! And where the hell is Keiki! Looking around only to see shades of green, the young empress lowered her head dejectedly. She knew she had depended on Keiki too much, but what to do? She was not familiar with the court and her country, and every minister of hers seemed to have some hidden agenda which was proven correct with the sudden attack earlier this morning. Also, the guilt of not trusting her kirin years ago had been plaguing her to no end. So she tried to appease Keiki by following his suggestions more than following her own. Of course that did not work out well; Keiki in turn was mad at her for being indecisive! Youko recalled a day when Keiki was giving her that exasperated look when she agreed to one of his ideas the fifth time in that day.
"What do you think if we build a dam across this river?" Keiki queried, "It would bring great benefits to the villagers there."
Youko it her lower lip and replied, "I suppose so…"
"Your majesty," The holy creature of Kei said as his eyebrows brought together into a frown, "Why do you always agree with me? The decision does not lie only on me. It is not right for a ruler to accede to her subject's every suggestion. The ministers may very well take advantage of that."
Youko was about to go further into her thoughts when a rustling of the grasses brought her back to reality. She saw Suzu coming at her with a heavy looking sword and dodged it in time. When or how she had gotten that sword was a mystery, but it did not matter. Quickly, the empress drew her weapon and began countering the young girl's, or rather, someone else's advances. They exchanged a few blows and Youko noted the skill that lied within the wielder. Their swords met again, this time with much more force from both sides. Suzu leaped back from the impact and readied herself into a proud stance, ready to strike once again. This time however, the Empress of Kei took the initiative of offense. I can't always rely on Keiki. Youko's face came close to her sword as the fierce battle displayed itself on the clearings, and she could see the sparks spitting viciously from the impact and friction. Youko was freezing cold but she made herself move. Move or die! No one is going to save you this time! Her thoughts ran back to the unfriendly kirin involuntarily and she felt herself drifting from the match. Almost was she hit by her opponent did she refocus on the current situation. Where the hell is he?
Youko's ragged breathing vibrated in her inflamed lungs. The fact that this fight was going nowhere filled her with intense desperation. She blocked an attack from her right and leaped away from the girl. It was extremely difficult to defend and yet not hurt the attacker. Everything would be so much easier if this person before her was not her friend. Come to think of it, it was her fault. She should not have let Suzu leave their room alone, but should have asked one of Keiki's shireis to offer protection. It was all her fault. If she had given their situation a more thorough thought, this would not have happened. It was because she was incapable and weak… that was why her ministers revolted. It was only on justified grounds that Kei be blessed with a more able leader, not with a high school outcast. Youko neither dodged nor blocked the next round of assail, but watched with hopelessness as Suzu brought the sword down on her.
Shoukei brought the dried shrimps back into the kitchen and poured them into a clean earthenware. Ever since that escapade with Kei-o and Suzu, she had been living with Koshou and Sekki. The brothers were kind enough to take her in, and in exchange she would mind their household. She had been torn between serving the empress and leading a normal life, and she chose the latter in the end. Not because she was jealous of Youko; she does not anymore, but because she wanted to distance herself from the perilous life in the court. She did not want to go through the same thing as she did thirty-two years ago. She was contended with being a commoner and intends to keep it this way. Plus, there was someone who has captured her heart.
Her thoughts were suspended when hurried footsteps approached. Shoukei broke into a smile when Sekki came in.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked as she pushed the pottery against the wall.
"There was a revolt! Kei-o and Taiho are gone!" said the young man with trepidation.
Shoukei took a sharp intake of breath and just stood there; paralyzed, unable to process whatever information Sekki was telling her. Her eyes snapped back to concentration when the young man touched her shoulder.
"Shoukei?"
"I...I'm fine." The blue-haired girl stammered and began pacing around the kitchen. She picked up a wooden spoon and then put it down, paused for a moment before busying herself with the steaming pot of soup at a far corner.
"I'm leaving tonight."
The lid of the pot clattered against the firewood as the housekeeper gasped, knocking the whole concoction onto the earth. Sekki grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the boiling mess. Shoukei watched as the hot soup bubbled as it mixed with soil and the steam that rose from the spilled soup, giving off a menacing sizzle.
The ex-princess turned her head and forced a smile upon her lips, "T..Thanks," and looked at the mess she made once more.
"Would you like to come with us?" the young soldier queried softly, gazing intently at the shaken girl.
Shoukei rotated on her heels and laughed. It would have sounded like a hearty laugh coming from a happy woman if seen by a stranger, but Sekki could weigh the nervousness in her voice.
"I have to take care of this place. Our home." Said the blue-haired girl as she returned his gaze with her own.
The raven haired soldier cupped the face of his lover and lowered his lips to meet hers.
After they broke apart, Sekki beamed at the former noblewoman, brushing away a strand of fringe, he said, "There are enough helpers to run this place. But only you can keep me going."
Shoukei blushed furiously at his comment. She had been showered with praises before when the previous Hou era was still standing. She would beam with pride whenever people complimented on her dance or beauty. Nobody had discredited her childish behaviour too, out of fear or respect she did not know, but it did not matter anymore. As long as she is beautiful in the eyes of this charming young man, it would not matter even if the whole world thought of her as unattractive. Shoukei buried herself in the arms of her loved one and immersed herself in the bliss she so treasured.
Night had fallen and the magnificent creature has yet to reach its destination. The unobvious frown that graced his face very so often deepened as he listened to the verbal report from his shirei; Youko has been taken captive and they were heading towards the southern gate of that village.
Keiki kicked at the air harder, urging himself to accelerate. The kirin glanced down and saw what he had been seeing for the past few hours: trees. His heart beat with anticipation when the forest ended and was left behind as he sailed forward faster. Below him, the ground was adorned with small little huts with smoke coming out of their chimneys. The dim orange lights shining from the windows proved the existence of each family. He swerved to the left and flew over more rows of humbly built homes before arriving at a larger household. Keiki dived and landed gracefully on the sandy ground, his hoofs making soft 'thud' sounds. From his position he could see the lights coming out of the dining hall and hear the occasional laughter during dinner.
Keiki throttled to the nearest wall and watched with discreet. He saw carriages at the other end of the building, east from the dining hall, with many people loading things onto them, and guessed that the occupants of this house might be planning to take a short trip to some place. The holy creature of Kei leaped soundlessly across the gap, almost flying, and touchdown outside the propped up window. He knocked at the wall with his front hoof to get their attention. The occupants in the room looked up, some stifled a gasp, and some tried to work their now numbed mouths.
Finally, someone stood up from his seat and bowed slightly, "Welcome, Kei-Taiho."
It was at that moment the people in the room fought to keep their surprise down and stood up, all at the same time. It reminded Keiki of the army's new recruits when Youko inspected them. They had acted as if they would be sent to the gallows if they allowed themselves to even breathe in her pressence, much like what these people were doing now. Though their behaviour amused him to no end, the urgent task at hand made the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.
After he was led inside, he wasted no time to explain his presence to them. Koshou was rigid throughout; however upon hearing Keiki's episode, the muscular man immediately voiced his agreement.
"Great! Now that we have our bearings, it makes things easier."
Shoukei watched quietly at the side of Sekki, whose face wore a relieved yet very worried expression. She knew he was concerned about his country and his empress, so she slipped her callous hand into his and got the same response. The thought of meeting her friends again excite her. But she was more excited about this new risky journey that was to come very soon.
TBC….
Finally…sorry I took so long to get this chapter out. I feel so tired (yawns). It is two-thirty am in the morning right now, so please pardon me if I have any spelling or grammatical errors, or of the sentences doesn't really make sense. I hope not though. .
Shoukei : I did not watch the episode where Youko revealed herself to the army, so I don't know if Shoukei remained with Youko or left.
